Mobility Beds for Elderly People: Types, Safety and Funding

A mobility bed can make life safer and more comfortable for an older person who finds it hard to get in and out of bed, change position or sit up. In the UK these are often called profiling beds, care beds or electric adjustable beds. This guide explains the types, the features that matter, how to choose a mattress, bed rail safety, and how to get a bed through the NHS or your council, or buy one without paying VAT if you are eligible.

Key points

• The main types are electric adjustable beds, profiling (care) beds, low beds, bariatric beds and turning or rotating beds.
• If someone needs a profiling bed because of their health, it is often loaned free after an assessment. Ask the district nurse, GP or council.
• Pressure ulcers are a real risk for people who find it hard to move. Specially designed mattresses and cushions help prevent them.
• Bed rails can prevent falls but have caused serious injuries and deaths through entrapment. They need a proper risk assessment.
• If you are disabled, an adjustable bed designed for disabled people can be bought without VAT. Ordinary orthopaedic beds do not qualify.

Types of mobility bed

• Electric adjustable beds raise the head and foot sections so you can sit up or lift your legs. Many look like a normal bed.
• Profiling (care) beds have a back rest, knee break and leg section, and can usually be raised and lowered in height. The height change helps with getting in and out, and helps carers work at a safer height. Most can take bed rails.
• Low or "ultra-low" beds go down close to the floor to reduce the harm from a fall.
• Bariatric beds are wider, with a stronger frame and a higher weight limit.
• Turning or rotating beds help someone move from lying to sitting on the edge of the bed, or turn them to help with pressure care.

The right type depends on the person's needs. An occupational therapist or district nurse can advise. Choosing safe, suitable equipment is part of good care: read more about duty of care.

Features to consider

• Height adjustment: makes transfers easier and helps carers avoid back strain.
• A simple handset with clear buttons. Some can be locked so a person can't move the bed into an unsafe position.
• Smooth, quiet motors that don't jerk.
• Bed rails or grab handles, if a risk assessment shows they are needed (see below).
• Battery backup, so the bed can be lowered in a power cut. Ask whether it is included.
• Lockable castors if the bed needs to be moved for cleaning or care.
• Wipe-clean surfaces and a weight limit that suits the user and mattress.
• A "home" look: some profiling beds come with wooden surrounds so they look less clinical.

Our guide to adjustable beds for limited mobility has more on comparing beds.

Choosing the right mattress

The mattress matters as much as the bed. Pressure ulcers (also called pressure sores or bed sores) are areas of damage to the skin and the tissue underneath. You are more likely to get them if you have difficulty moving. The NHS says changing position regularly and using specially designed mattresses and cushions help prevent them.

When choosing a mattress:

• Make sure it bends with a profiling bed. Not every mattress is designed for this.
• Ask a nurse or occupational therapist what level of pressure relief is needed. Options range from foam mattresses to powered air mattresses.
• Check the mattress height. A thicker mattress can change how well bed rails protect the person.
• Choose a waterproof, wipe-clean cover if continence is a concern.

If you are worried about skin damage, speak to the GP or district nurse. Pressure-relieving mattresses are often provided through the NHS after an assessment.

Bed rail safety

Bed rails can stop someone rolling out of bed. But the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warns that bed rails and grab handles have caused injuries and deaths, mainly through people getting trapped. Between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2022, the MHRA received 18 reports of deaths and 54 reports of serious injuries linked to bed rails and related equipment.

• Bed rails should only be used after a risk assessment, which should be reviewed regularly.
• Rails that are built into the bed have been involved in far fewer incidents than add-on rails, because the gaps are designed in.
• Pressure-relieving mattresses can change the gaps, so they must be included in the risk assessment.
• Not all bed rails can be used as grab handles. Using the wrong type can make the rail break.

Looking after the bed

Follow the maker's or equipment service's instructions. A simple routine:

Task	How often	What to check
Check cables and handset	Regularly	No fraying, kinks or trapped cables under the bed
Clean mattress and frame	As needed	Use cleaners the maker allows
Check rails and fixings	Regularly	Rails secure, gaps unchanged
Service	As the maker or service advises	Loaned beds are often serviced by the equipment service

Keep the user manual near the bed. If the bed is on loan from a community equipment service, report faults to them. Caring for someone at home is demanding: our guide for unpaid carers explains the support, including breaks, that may be available.

Getting a bed through the NHS or council

Before you buy, find out whether you can get a bed on loan.

• Council needs assessment: ask your council's adult social services. A needs assessment is free, and equipment you are assessed as needing is provided free.
• District nurse or GP: in some areas, profiling beds, pressure mattresses and bed rails are arranged through the district nurse rather than the council. Liverpool City Council, for example, asks people to contact their district nurse, or the GP for a referral.
• Community equipment services: these lend equipment after an assessment by a health or care professional. Wakefield's service, for example, provides equipment as a free loan for as long as it is needed.
• NHS continuing healthcare: if someone has a primary health need, the NHS may fund their care in full. See our guide to paying for care.

Buying a bed and VAT relief

Prices vary a lot depending on the type of bed, mattress and extras. Compare several UK suppliers, and ask about delivery, setting up, servicing and the warranty.

If you are disabled or have a long-term illness, you will not be charged VAT on an electrically or mechanically adjustable bed designed for disabled people. HMRC says the bed must clearly stand out as specialised, similar to a hospital bed, with features such as cot sides or height adjustment. General orthopaedic beds do not qualify. A mattress qualifies only if it is sold as part of a qualifying bed, or is itself designed solely for disabled people. You will need to confirm your eligibility in writing.

If you cannot get help from the council or NHS, a charity grant may help with costs.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a profiling bed free on the NHS?

Often, if it is assessed as needed. Ask the district nurse, GP or council adult social services. Beds from community equipment services are usually loaned free for as long as they are needed.

Do I pay VAT on a mobility bed?

Not if you are eligible and the bed is designed for disabled people, such as a profiling bed with height adjustment or cot sides. You do not qualify if you are elderly but not disabled. Ordinary adjustable or orthopaedic beds are charged VAT.

Can I use my existing headboard?

Sometimes. Some electric adjustable beds have brackets for a headboard. Ask the supplier for your model.

Are mobility beds noisy?

Most make a low hum when moving. Ask for a demonstration if noise is a concern, especially if a partner sleeps nearby.

Can two people with different needs share an adjustable bed?

Some electric adjustable beds come in "dual" or split designs, where each side moves separately. Profiling care beds are usually single beds. Ask an occupational therapist what suits the person who needs the care.

What happens in a power cut?

Without power the motors stop. Some beds have a battery backup so they can be lowered or flattened. Ask the supplier or equipment service whether yours does and how to keep it charged.

Sources

• Pressure ulcers (pressure sores) (NHS)
• Bed rails: management and safe use (MHRA, GOV.UK)
• VAT Notice 701/7: VAT reliefs for disabled and older people (HMRC, GOV.UK)
• Financial help if you're disabled: VAT relief for disabled people (GOV.UK)
• Household gadgets and equipment to make life easier (NHS)
• Ask for an occupational therapy assessment (Liverpool City Council)
• Community equipment service (Wakefield Council)
• Care and support you can get for free (NHS)